JPH0247769B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

The present invention relates to a system console device, and particularly to a system console device most suitable for use in a multi-computer system or a network computer system. A complex computer system such as a multi-computer system or a network system includes a display device called a system console for displaying the operating status of the system, the connection status of input/output devices, etc., and giving instructions for switching the system configuration. A control console has become essential. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional system console. Process input/output devices 4, 5, and 6 are connected to each of central processing units (CPUs) 1, 2, and 3 that are in different operating states, and are connected to a system console 10. Each of the process input/output devices 4, 5, and 6 is connected to each system-specific unit 11, 12, and 13 in the system console 10, respectively. Furthermore, each of the CPUs 1, 2, and 3 is connected to a common process input/output device 8 via a changeover switch 7, and this common process input/output device 8 is connected to a system console common section 14 in the system console 10.
connected to. The display of the entire system is selected using the switch 7 in the system console common section 14.
The CPU (usually the main online system) is displayed. In order to have such a configuration, process input/output devices are provided individually. For this reason, the system console-related components accounted for a large proportion of the total, making it uneconomical. Depending on the system, only a very simple display may be sufficient, but in a large-scale multicomponent computer system, there is a problem if input instructions are given only using codes (codes) without any display. That is, since the instruction information from the system console originally influences the configuration of the system, there is a risk of accidentally causing the system to go down, which may place a large burden on the operator. As the scale of the system increases, the conventional process input/output method becomes economically disadvantageous. On the other hand, if the display information is reduced or the like and the functionality is degraded, operation errors are likely to occur and reliability will deteriorate. Also, display inconsistencies (for example, incorrect information remains on the system console because a system that is down cannot change its display by itself).
In order to solve this problem, it is usually necessary to perform interlock using complicated relay logic or the like. An object of the present invention is to provide a system console device with a simplified interface and improved reliability. The present invention connects a selected CPU to a system console using a CRT as a display device without going through a process interface, changes information on the virtual system console without directly changing the display of each system, and also controls interlocks using software. This is how it is done. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of the invention. The CPUs 1, 2, and 3 are connected to each other by a linkage line 15, and the CPUs 1, 2, and
A shared memory 16 that is commonly used for each of the three devices is provided. The system console 9 uses a CRT (cathode tube) as a display device, and each
Connection with the CPU is made via a changeover switch 7. By using a CRT-type console in this way, it is possible to perform graphical display, which is highly expandable when changing the system configuration, and also makes it easier for operators to understand in terms of man-machine communication. It is possible to edit the information. For example, only the overall configuration can be displayed at all times, and when an abnormality occurs, only the part where the abnormality has occurred (for example, the system configuration switching part) can be enlarged and displayed. Furthermore, when making input settings, information related to the input is displayed all at once, making it possible to guide the operation. especially,
This operation guide is extremely useful when making important inputs related to changes in system configuration. Incidentally, in the past, since the board surface was fixed, it was difficult to change the display as described above. The inter-CPU linkage line 15 is assumed to be provided in a normal multi-computer system, and its main functions are as shown in Table 1. Also, shared memory

[Table] 16 is used as a virtual system console. FIG. 3 shows an example of a display screen of the CRT type system console 9. The screen is roughly divided into
It is divided into a display area and an input area. As shown in the figure, the display area consists of a display area specific to each system, an area displayed by the online system A, an area displayed by the online B system, and a common display area (displayed by the main system for configuration control). . By using a CRT, it is possible to draw an image of the system configuration on the screen and display it in a way that is easy for the operator to understand. The display will be explained in detail. Since each computer cannot directly access the system console,
Create a virtual system console on the shared memory 16, temporarily display it (write to the shared memory), and send information between the CPUs to the system to which the system console is connected (usually the main system for configuration control). An interrupt is generated through the mutual linkage line 15. The system console connection system that receives the interrupt signal outputs the information on the virtual system console (the contents of the shared memory 16) to be displayed on the CRT. Figure 4 shows the contents of the virtual system console. Each system-specific part, online A part, online B
It is divided into a section and a common section (main system writing area), and each section is divided into a CPU display register 19 in charge and specific display information. Each physical CPU number is stored in the assigned CPU register 19, and is rewritten every time the system configuration is changed. For example, CPU 3 of system 3 is in charge of the online B section, and CPU 3 of system 3 is always in charge of online section B.
3 is writing as "Control 4=Executing, Control 5=Executing". Each time the contents of these displays are rewritten, the third system CPU 3 issues an inter-CPU interrupt 18 to the second system CPU 2 connected to the system console. 2nd system CPU2 that was interrupted
reads the contents of the virtual system console and
The output is displayed on the CRT type system console 10. When adopting such a display form, a problem that must be solved is that when a certain system of CPUs goes down without being able to update the display information, contradictory displays may be displayed in a transient state. However, according to the present invention, the system console connection system reads the status of the relevant system (down or normal) from the inter-CPU mutual linkage line 15, and if it is down, automatically corrects the displayed information so that there is no contradiction as it is down. It can be solved by doing this. For example, if CPU 3 of the 3rd system in charge of online B is down, even if both "Control 4" and "Control 5" are displayed on the virtual system console as being executed, they will be displayed on the CRT as "Suspended". Process to display. Figures 5a, b, and c are display flowcharts of the present invention. Figure 5a shows the flow at the time of initialization or configuration switching, which is the execution of management declaration processing, the steps of writing to the relevant system, displaying the CPU in charge, rewriting registers, display area, initial update, etc. It consists of steps to perform the following steps. Figure 5b shows the processing flow when displaying on the system console 10 (correctly, displaying on the virtual system console), including the steps for writing to the virtual console (on the shared memory) and to the system console connection system (main system). It consists of the step of issuing an interrupt (outputting an interrupt to switch to another system to which the relevant machine is connected). FIG. 5c shows the flow to the system console connection system, in which all display information is updated in step 51, and it is determined in step 52 whether or not the corresponding CPU is down. If the CPU is down,
is assumed to be down and displayed in step 53,
On the other hand, if it is normal, a display is performed in accordance with the contents of the virtual console in step 54. step
For each of the processes 53 and 54, it is determined in step 55 whether or not all display information has been completed, and if completed, all the processes are terminated, and if not, the process returns to step 51. The above programs are set in each of CPUs 1 to 3. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of processing in input instructions. Display area of shared memory 16 (fourth
(shown in the figure) is set up separately, and input instruction areas are provided for each system in this area. Instructions for either system are input via the CRT-type console, so for systems connected to the system console,
Route 21 for importing CRT input information into CPU 2,
Route 22 for writing from CPU2 to input instruction area 20 of shared memory, interrupt route 23 from CPU2 to CPU3, input instruction area 20 to CPU3
reading route 24, interrupt route 25 issued from CPU3 to CPU2 to notify completion of information reception, CPU2 for CRT type console
Each response route 26 is provided for displaying a response indicating completion of information reception. Figures 7 and 8 show flowcharts for input instructions. Figure 7 shows the processing in the section leading to the CRT type console, the active CPU, and the shared memory, and Figure 8 shows the processing of the other CPUs. This shows the processing. These processes are a flowchart of the processes explained in FIG. 6, and the processes in the CPU 3 are shown separately in FIG.
In step 71, an input instruction from the console is read, and in step 72, it is determined whether the CPU that received the instruction is down. If it is down, it will respond to the CRT type console 9 that it cannot receive input instructions, and if it is normal, it will respond to the step
Proceed to 73 and input instruction area 2 in shared memory 16
Executes writing to 0 and writes the relevant data in step 74.
Interrupts the CPU and enters WAIT state at step 75. On the other hand, in step 81, the other CPU reads the contents written in the shared memory 16, and then in step 82, the CPU notifies step 76 that the reception has been completed by means of an interrupt signal. By the way, the system console CRT is not a special CRT, but a regular CRT, and can be shared with applications. Furthermore, two to three CRTs are normally used in an application, and mutual backup becomes possible by enabling the system console function on any of the CRTs as described above. Therefore, as in the past, if only one system controller goes down, the entire system cannot continue to operate and the entire system goes down, but according to the present invention, this inconvenience is eliminated and the reliability of the system is improved. can be done. Furthermore, there is no need to use a shared memory or a linkage line between CPUs exclusively for the system console, and the basic equipment of a normal multi-computer system can be used. As described in detail above, according to the embodiments of the present invention, information regarding the system configuration can be illustrated in a way that is easy for the operator to understand without requiring any special hardware, and the system is extremely cost-effective. You can get the console. In the above embodiment, a multi-computer system was used as an example, but even in a network system such as a data way system that does not have shared memory, each computer has a virtual system console and it can be updated. When this occurs, the system console system can display the CRT display by reading the CPU operating status using a direct memory read function. In this case, the advantage is that systems that are distributed in remote locations can be centrally controlled from one location. As is clear from the above, according to the present invention, the interface on the system console can be simplified and the man-machine communication function can be enhanced.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional system console, FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a display screen showing an example of the display of a CRT type system console according to the present invention. Figure 4 is a conceptual diagram of the virtual system console,
Figures 5a, b, and c are flowcharts of display processing in the present invention, Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of input instruction processing in the present invention, and Figures 7 and 8 are flowcharts for input instructions. . 1, 2, 3... CPU, 7... Selector switch,
9...CRT type system console, 15...Linkage line, 16...Shared memory, 20...
Input instruction area.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A system console device for displaying the operating status of each of a plurality of computers that can communicate with each other and for displaying the operating status of the entire system, which includes a CRT and displays each of the computers on the CRT. a system console that displays information about
a shared memory that has an area in which content to be displayed by each of the computers is temporarily written and serves as a virtual console; and a shared memory that serves as a virtual console and transfers the contents of the shared memory to the system console via one of the selected computers. A system console device comprising processing means for displaying on the CRT screen. 2. The shared memory further includes an input instruction area, and input instructions from the system console are stored in the input instruction area via one of the selected computers, and input instructions from the system console are stored in the input instruction area via the other one of the selected computers. 2. The system console device according to claim 1, wherein the contents of the instruction area are read out through a stand and a notification of completion of reception is sent back to the system console.